The HTC EVO 4G has an 8 megapixel main camera with a 1.3MP camera up front. The Samsung Epic 4G has a 5MP main shooter complimented by a VGA cam up front. The front camera for both can be used for video chat using the preloaded Qik application, as well as some others in the Market. Skype has announced that they will be bringing their Android client to the masses this year, and with phones like this now on the market it can’t come soon enough.

Despite the higher resolution, and very good overall results, the 8MP HTC shooter did not perform as well as Samsung’s 5MP sensor. Images were slightly crisper with better detail with the Epic 4G. Both phones produced very good color reproduction and are viable options to replace your point and shoot. The latter will produce better images, but both phones are good enough that if you don’t want to carry two devices with you the phones will suffice for the casual user. The HTC EVO 4G is significantly faster than the Epic 4G however. Load and shutter times were quicker.

HTC EVO 4G

Samsung Epic 4GOutdoor samples

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HTC EVO 4G

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Samsung Epic 4G

Indoor samples

Both units are capable of shooting 720p video but results were again better with the Epic 4G. HTC’s videos are significantly compressed, which results in a loss of video quality. The Samsung produced crisper and more natural looking videos. Hopefully HTC releases a software update which will improve video quality on the EVO 4G.

Both offer good music performance. Samsung utilizes the stock Android music player, while HTC has replaced it as part of Sense. Both phones are viable iPod replacements but the media players could use a little more polish. The features are there and the interface is good enough, but it could use some more polish.

HTC EVO 4G

Samsung Epic 4G

With such large displays both the EVO and Epic 4G are ideal for watching videos, but the Super AMOLED-equipped Epic 4G is just so much better looking. If you just watch a video on the EVO 4G you’ll be impressed, but if you watch them side-by-side the EVO looks washed out. Part of it is the fact that the Samsung displays 16M colors and the HTC only 65K, but much like a plasma TV versus LCD the black levels are just so much deeper with Super AMOLED and it results in more vibrant, more realistic color. Both devices played videos smoothly, but if this is a priority for you the Epic 4G is without a doubt the phone for you.

We also tested gaming on the EVO 4G and Epic 4G using Asphalt 5 and Speed Forge 3D. The Samsung Epic’s six-axis motion sensing was apparent, especially with Asphalt 5. Controlling the vehicle was much easier with the Epic; with the EVO 4G we almost felt as if there was under-steer at times. (Actually, we were using a Mini with Asphalt 5 so maybe the EVO was actually more realistic! ;-)) Speed Forge 3D was more even of an experience, but as mobile games become more complex the Epic 4G will be better able to keep up. The games ran smoothly on both devices and while colors were of course better with the Epic we didn’t notice any real graphical differences despite the EVO’s 30fps cap.

HTC EVO 4G

Samsung Epic 4G

Quadrant benchmark results

The EVO 4G has HDMI out for connecting to your television or monitor. The Epic 4G is DLNA compliant for wirelessly sharing files between other connected devices on your network. The Epic also features Samsung’s Media Hub for movie and TV downloads and rentals, but the store is still listed as coming soon. Again, if multimedia is your forte the Epic 4G is probably the device for you.

30 Comments

Display mode:

you should mention, that the epic4g supports microusb to hdmi output.
via cable (~50$), but still... I also hope that there will be cheap alternatives on ebay soon...
also it looks like the pal/ntsc tv-out support of the 3,5mm jack has been disabled by software...

3.sprintlover (unregistered)

I don't like listening to this guys reviews. He breathes SO hard into the mic after every word he says. Its annoying. I was looking forward to watching this comparison but i seriously can't get through a full minute with him breathing like that. It might not be so bad if I didn't use headphones to hear but i do which makes his voice loud and clear. Just some advice... stop giving a speech and just talk normal. Every single one of your reviews are like this. I'm sure im not the only one to mention this so listen to your readers and at least attempt to make a move for the better. You don't have to write a speech to sound professional.

15.Evolution4G (unregistered)

I agree. A conversational, comfortable tone would be great. Instead we get a poorly rehearsed, slightly faltering speech. The breathing is minuscule, perhaps the aftereffect of a poorly placed mic. The real issue is the momentary, yet abrupt, pauses. They instill a burning impatience and are really, really frustrating.
I made it to 50 seconds.
Additionally, I'm left with the image of an overweight man, maybe with asthma? I don't mean to be rude, but it seems that one would be able to speak more than 7 or 8 words without taking a lung throttling breath. And yes, I'm retracting. I hit play again and three breaths later I was on board with Sprint lovers hyperbole "SO hard."

who cares. you remind me of grade school girls. its free information and a great comparison. it is indepth and everything. HTC is a better phone. period. samsung phones are complete JUNK. they have never made a good one. ever. the galaxy S series is pointing in the tight direction.. but they are better than any blackberry.

I don't know if it's just me, but I have the Epic 4g and I'm extremely disappointed with the battery life. Every day I've owned it so far, it dies within 5 hours if I'm using it, but without even touching it, on standby, it lasts for only 8 hours. I've been forced to shut the phone off to save my battery, something I haven't had to do since I had my first flip phone. I've googled this as well and seen many other people run into the same problem as I have. I've used their task manager to kill apps I don't use, but even so, these apps worked perfectly fine running simultaneously on my Nexus One and didn't kill my battery life.

5.gdubb03 (unregistered)

did u try turning down the brightness of the screen? i too am seeing this same problem and I have turned off the brightness of the screen and continually making sure I shut down apps if I'm not using them. Kind of annoying but hell I just switched from wm and this is way better.

I haven't noticed much if any difference in the battery life between my sprint phones and other phones like the G1 and a few Blackberries. Yes, in that I mean that none of them gave me impressive battery life like what I'm used to with my other SE and Nokia phones, but I think battery life is more dependent on the maker than the service provider

If I wasn't still upset with my past samsung phones (including "Blade") I probably would be looking on the Epic more positively, even tho Samsung phones in my opinion were still better options that whatever else was available. But then after those samsung phones I switched to a HTC Mogul 6800 and that was pretty much it for me and Samsung and I am now a proud HTC loyalist. Great quality in most all of their phones, slick design and for however long I've owned them they didn't one day just decide to go crazy on me and start malfunctioning.

11.kopiejr (unregistered)

12.313 (unregistered)

SenseFTW, he is either showing a rooted EVO with a custom interface, or running a third-party launcher program such as LauncherPro or SweeterHome. Without rooting or downloading additional programs, if you can find "Launcher2.apk", a file for android, you will be able to run stock froyo and have the basic lay out with 5 screens

13.dbrandt (unregistered)

Hello,
I just received an Evo last week. Is anyone else noticing a washed out screen? And it has been locking up on me alot. I had the Hero and I really liked it. I was thinking of switching to the Epic but am reluctant because I heard that Samsung isn't the greatest company and their phones don't stack up to the competition. I also use the camera alot. I am not happy wth the quality of the camera. I am a one device person. I had the palm pre and it took magnificent pics. A sprint rep told me its because the Evo is using HD quality. Should I switch? Is the epic a much better phone?
How is the reception with the epic? I roam at work, so I need it to be able to pick up the roaming ability. The Evo does a decent job.
Please help. I am spending a lot of money, I want what is the best for my money now.
DJ

I can't really say its a fair comparison of functionality until they both are running FROYO. Then we can have a better say on which is truly better of the 2 phones which are both phenomenal in my opinion. They should have waited before doing this comparison.

16.Gadgetsage (unregistered)

Add to this the fact that the HTC EVO which I currently have after trying N1, nokia n900, HTC HD2 (disaster, avoid at all costs), Samsung vibrant, that the HDMI out simply does not work, HTC tech support says it's a known issue, and that they will be pushing out a software fix for it "soon" but would not name a date or ETA

17.Gadgetsage (unregistered)

Add to this the fact that the HTC EVO which I currently have after trying N1, nokia n900, HTC HD2 (disaster, avoid at all costs), Samsung vibrant, that the HDMI out simply does not work, HTC tech support says it's a known issue, and that they will be pushing out a software fix for it "soon" but would not name a date or ETA, and the pretty dismal camera on the EVO, and I would have to choose the Samsung (it can be rooted to froyo).
Even when (no wait, scratch that, IF) the HDMI is made to work, it will only show videos, slideshows, etc., NOT the actual screen of your phone, which means no external monitor capability that I thought I was getting.
Think I'll call the sprint store and switch to the Epic.
Settings to make the camera work well enough to capture a document and make it legible;
NOTE* SCROLL DOWN TO “RESET TO DEFAULT”, or simply leave contrast at middle/average to not get a black and white picture when you want to quickly snap a photo.
This is the sort of time-consuming fiddling I thought I'd left behind with my palm treo 755p. Never went to the Pre, I was waiting for them to make a man-sized phone (EVO).
I like solving puzzles, but I don't like wasting time, thus I think I'm dumping the EVO for the Epic.
metering; average
exposure/ bright;+2 (flash off) (variable depending on light, +1-2 indoors)
contrast; +2 (max)
saturation; -2 (minimum)
sharpness; 0 (neutral, no +/- adj)
effect; none
white balance; flourescent seems to result in sharpest & brightest pictures of documents (under flourescent light indoors anyway where this extensive testing was done, outside in daylight may be different)
resolution;8mpixels (I previously felt 5mp was optimum, that the light-gathering chip was overwhelmed by the massive amount of data, but at least for documents, 8 seems to be sharpest)
iso;auto (actually, I didn’t test other iso settings, because of an unwillingness to have to fiddle with exposure times in search of 1% gains in picture clarity endlessly dependent upon light level, thereby wasting more time from my life and driving myself bonkers)

21.Stewart (unregistered)

I doubt they had the latest OTA update from Sprint for the Evo released a week ago. With the new update I can easily get 2 days out of the phone with no charge, this weekend I hit a new milestone of 3 days.http://goo.gl/kePC

22.stalform (unregistered)

actually the Ford gt 40 beat Ferrari 4 years in a row in the Lemans race in Italy back in the 60's, and aston martin is owned by Ford motor company. a better analogy would have been
"Not a Ferrari and a Daewoo"

25.katerina (unregistered)

guys can you please help me i dont know what fone to pic the evo or the epic these r my requirements :
1. a batterey that doesnt run out fast.
2. a phone thats better to txt in class
3. a camera that is really good and kicks butt cuz i love takin pics
4. a phone that doesnt have a washed out screen
5. i want to be able to have a signature at the end of my txts i dont feeel like writting it over and over
6. i would love to have a keyboard
7. i want the fone that is fastest
i hear both the evo and the epic are really good fones then i hear that samsung company has sucky fones then i hear wow the epic is a really good phone who wouldnt love it alomost on every website i have been on to compare both fones they say that the epic is better but my cuzin has the evo and it looks really nice but i think its to big for me i think they said it was 6 pounds like come on foreal anyways ummm but what im woundering is what does the evo have that the epic doesnt please help me u guys i also think both phones r cool but i want the one that isnt gonna have alot of problems please please help me it's a hard decision please reply back im stuck :(

28.J.O. (unregistered)

Im going to try the epic because i have had it with the evo...freezes up errors,drops calls.have to take the batt out two three times a day....if the epic dont work im done with cell phones period........the evo is a piece of ----......went thru 3 phones to have enough of the evo......very unhappy customer....

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